A couple of years ago, Fredericton was singled out as the Best Overall Micro-City in North America by FDI American Cities of the Future. That was a big deal to us. It validated our vision and the effort we at Ignite Fredericton have dedicated to making our little city one of the most attractive investment destinations in North America.

But it also got us thinking. In the ultra-competitive world of investment attraction, last year’s award means little. How do you stay on top, year after year?

Over the last decade, we’ve collected enough awards in the field of foreign investment attraction to know we’re doing some of the right things. We’re thinking the right thoughts. We’re moving in the right direction. And we’re doing it better than most.

But occasionally we slip in the rankings. Other cities or groups ar...